Cam Skattebo Apologizes For His “Tasteless” CTE Admission

Giants running back Cam Skattebo apologized for referring to CTE as fake and an excuse.

Cam Skattebo Apologizes For His “Tasteless” CTE Admission

Cam Skattebo (Image via IMAGO)

Cam Skattebo quickly reversed his stance on his controversial comments regarding CTE, which he referred to as a “fake” take. The New York Giants running back posted a tweet apologizing to fans, referring to his actions as “tasteless.”

Skattebo, currently recovering from an ankle reconstruction, sent out a message that has already been viewed by more than 1.2 million people on Twitter.

I recently did an interview and had a lapse in judgment, which resulted in me making a tasteless joke about CTE and asthma. It was never my intention to downplay the seriousness of head injuries or asthma. I sincerely apologize to anyone that was offended by my remarks, and I assure you that I’ll be more mindful and respectful going forward.

Skattebo wrote

His apology follows the viral spread of a short clip from a segment on the Bring The Juice podcast. In the clip, Skattebo implied that CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy) is a fake condition, used as an excuse by underachieving athletes.

According to the Indiana University School of Medicine, CTE is a “progressive degenerative disease affecting people who have suffered repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries, that may occur in some athletes and others who have been exposed to concussions and repetitive head impacts.“

Of course, there are skeptics like Skattebo who have tried to deny its existence. That said, a small number of athletes in martial arts, wrestling, boxing, and contact sports like football, basketball, rugby, or Australian rules football often experience its effects.

Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, who was convicted of murder and later took his own life in a jail cell, aged 27, had long suffered from an advanced stage (stage 3) of CTE. A Boston University investigation, directed by Ann McKee, uncovered findings related to CTE.

We’ve never seen…in our 468 brains, except for individuals very much older… Especially in the frontal lobes, which are very important for decision-making, judgment, and cognition, we could see damage to the inner chambers of the brain. This would be the first case we’ve ever seen of that kind of damage in such a young individual.

Keeping that in mind, Skattebo made the right choice by retracting his previous statement. CTE is a serious condition, and making light of it isn’t a great look for a young athlete like the Giants’ running back.

The Giants are linked to a veteran running back while Cam Skattebo recovers from his surgery

Skattebo hurt his ankle during the Giants’ week 8 rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles. The doctors did not waste time operating on his busted leg, which ended his rookie year early.

Cam Skattebo Apologizes For His "Tasteless" CTE Admission
Cam Skattebo (Image via IMAGO)

With the 24-year-old still recovering from the surgery, the Giants are understaffed in the running back department. Even though Devin Singletary restructured his contract to remain in New York, the brass are looking for an experienced back to lead the line and ease the workload on Skattebo’s shoulders.

The Sporting News linked Najee Harris to the Giants in a recently published article.

[Najee] Harris was showing some promise in the Greg Roman offense before he went down in his lone season with the Chargers. Roman now works for the Giants, where they need some power contingency for Cam Skattebo.

Harris spent his first four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, amassing over 1,000 rushing yards annually. He bagged a Pro Bowl nod in 2021 before joining the Los Angeles Chargers ahead of the 2025 season. However, he suffered a freak eye injury that ruled him out for the entire year. Now a free agent, Harris has a chance to reunite with his former offensive coordinator.

Skattebo looked like the steal of the 2025 NFL draft from day one. He shared offensive snaps with Singletary to start the season, but took over as the leading back later on. Before the injury, the Arizona State graduate had rushed 101 times for 410 yards and scored 5 touchdowns. Additionally, he caught 24 passes for 207 yards and scored 2 touchdowns.

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